Still Life
by Edultress
Summary: Five years have passed since the demise of Naraku. Sengoku Jidai is finally finding peace from the lost, harsh reign...but some things don't go on like they do forever.
1. Ghost from the Past

Still Life  
  
By: Vyle Gohana Aris Lucina Giovanni the III...or just Vyle  
  
******* Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and owned as her rightful property. *******  
  
Prologue summary-  
  
It has been five years since the death of Naraku. Inuyasha and Kikyou, who was wished back when the Shikon no Tama granted all wrongs done to them with the combination of the hanyou-turned-human Inuyasha, now live as husband and wife with a blossoming small family. Miroku and Sango now live as newlyweds but still venture through Sango's reputation to help villages from youkai invasion whereas Shippou dedicates himself as a first- hand helper to Kaede in the village. Kagome is the only one who hasn't changed any...or has she? After the defeat of Naraku and the summoning wish from the sacred jewel, the time transportation in the Bone Eater's well ceased, trapping the young miko permanently in the Sengoku Jidai. That was five years ago...  
  
Chapter I: Ghost from the Past  
  
"There are a lot of things we can't correct in this life. Those are the bigger issues that make huge ripples in the water; it seems like no matter how hard we try, we can't correct it. But you see, those aren't the ones we're supposed to be aiming for. It's the smaller ones; the ones everyone quickly and carelessly discard that allow us those 'second chances'."--- Anonymous  
  
Nowadays I look onto the past and try as I might, I cannot remember how or why things fell into the ways they did. Sometimes I can spend my days happily by the side of my wife and our young son when others, I dream night and day about visions from the past. It haunts me still; the cold chill of betrayal, the warm rush of acceptance even down to the brief flares of innocent affections.  
  
The times have slowed down to me. I suppose being a human now has given me these insights. When my whole world has once been nothing but nips and swift kicks through the eyes of a damn-near immortal creature, it only seemed natural. I have learned to get used to this weak-fleshy form besides, I had tastes of it every month. It has been exactly five summers to dates since the death of that heartless, filthly bastard Naraku and the beginning--finally--the beginning to the lives as we always envisioned.  
  
Sango and Miroku have a solid relationship now. Feh, not surprised that bouzu hasn't gotten his face painted red lately. I suppose Sango has him in check. Heh, I'm gonna tease him on that later. It's been some pretty normal years from that fateful day. Now, because I'm practically mortal and with weak flesh now, I always think about how my Kikyou and I will be when we arrive at old age. Yep, I'm not all that surprised that ironically I turned out to be exactly what I had planned fifty-five years ago with her. It's a little bothersome here and there that I really couldn't wish to become stronger, if not full youkai, but then again when I look at my young son and see something with Kikyou and him...I wouldn't change it one bit.  
  
* The day was humid and exhausting as the people of the village worked diligently on their slouching crops and yard work. It was another summer day that called upon the talons of sunrays upon the villager's innocent back and shoulders, draining what was left of energy and vigor from their bent forms rapidly. Only the few younger and stronger ones could withstand the windless afternoon of the scorching day as the sky bled pure blue without so much of a hint of a white cloud in the sky anywhere. But as merciless as it was, work had to be done. Hut roofs had to be repaired from the last bad rainstorm and walls had to be refurnished from the markings of long recorded past youkai attacks.  
  
Dragonflies zipped to and fro around the hot afternoon air, buzzing lightly in puts before landing swiftly in tall stalks of weeds and grass to rest. Other that that, the village day was just the same.  
  
Inuyasha was taking a casual walk around the village, not minding any of the villagers or their work. The older ones stumbled from their heavy loads as younger ones sprinted toward them quickly in rescue as he just tucked his hands in his long, red fire rat haori sleeves. Sango and Miroku would probably be coming by to visit in just a few more hours, if they decided too today, and if all went in that way then they could maybe find something interesting to do for the rest of the day. 'Man what a shitty day. It's hot as hell and all these people can think about is damn near breaking their backs at this hour? Feh, figures.' The black-haired figure smirked half-heartedly as he suddenly stopped to come up to the place his wandering, and not to mention bare, feet tracked him upon. It was...Kagome's small hut.  
  
Well, to be exacty, it wasn't really small. Smaller than her future home had been yes, but overall, no. Besides, for one person how much room could you really need anyway? Inuyasha's face firmed in a light serious expression as he slowly walked to the door of the hut. Ever since Kikyou had resigned being a miko in the pledge of marriage, Kagome had decided to become the new village miko. Besides, Kaede needed the extra help nowadays and she was always off somewhere being a midwife in her free time not to mention for the record. It always felt kind of funny coming to Kagome's small, lonely hut at times. Like it was almost...wrong. To state, after Kikyou had been resurrected and everything was finally complete, the group still hung around each other but Inuyasha could tell now that Kagome felt slowly left out.  
  
He had told her long ago and he knew she understood how his relationship to the older miko was. In fact, he was even surprised when Kagome wouldn't even say much of it anymore when he went to find Kikyou after that. Before they had permanently decided to settle in the village, he and Kikyou would meet at the God Tree and sometimes he would look for her. While the bouzu lech would tease how 'frequent' Inuyasha was becomng, he would always sneak a look at Kagome as if to see if she would say anything. Impossible. She had made the wish in the first place, known it would solidify everything that had ever been said between himself and the older miko and plus....plus...finally make the indecisive Inuyasha's choice now confirmed.  
  
It had hurt. Watching Kagome's face as he would walk off to meet with Kikyou and then when he would come back to see the young girl sitting up in her sleeping bag with her arms hugging around her knees drawn tight to her chest and her head plastered face down on them. He knew she cared. He knew how she felt too. As much as the taijiya and the bouzu barked about his two- timing, Inuyasha wasn't an idiot. He knew that those late nights when the full moon adorned the crisp, cool dark, starry sky and he would be walking back to the camp, upon seeing the young girl looking up longing at the tree he would have been resting near, he knew she had cried. Kagome cried alot but he knew how she forced herself to keep them to herself because of her morals. She solely believed that pushing personal feelings around for everyone else to have to deal with was selfish and wrong. Hell, one time he could even clearly recall on one visit back, just as he made his way through some of the stubborn foliage, he stopped dead in his tracks when he heard her faint sniffling. A pained expression crossed his face at the memory because he knew exactly why she cried looser than usual that night.  
  
Half of him didn't understand why. As much as the other half was selfishly proud that the young miko still held affections him, the 'hanyou' half, the human side cursed why the girl waited for him. Even when she knew the predictable ending to this story, she waited like a lost lover for the other every night for his return from Kikyou and his meeting. It made his stomach queaze at how she was still so loyal..so damn hopeful...to wait for something not even he could make happen. The other thing that gnawed heavy on his mind was the fact that now since the well was sealed, Kagome didn't have the flexibility to feel at home. Sango desperately would try to comfort the girl with the similar understanding of one's lost family but no matter what, the girl of the once future would just smile weakly and fake before thanking Sango and Miroku (who would stand on the outskirts but murmur heartfelt consolations to the weeping girl) for their caring and help. He had seen it too many times. But as much as he wanted to promise something to her, Inuyasha would just pray he would figure it out or be told of it straight from her before it could turn her sickly.  
  
The past experiences of his efforts shone greatly. There had been times when he would stalk up and talk quietly to Kagome (or try to) and try as he might, all she would do was smile with a hint of something he couldn't pinpoint and shake her head quickly. Again with those damn fake expressions. "Nothing's the matter Inuyasha. Really, I'm okay. Just a little homesick." Yeah, homesick. Right. And he supposed all those damn nights of crying were just due to missing her grandfather, mother and brother. Maybe even her cat Buyo? Right. But he wasn't one to pry. It just wasn't him and besides, if Kagome said nothing was wrong then, well, he just had to take it as that. Besides, many encounters in the past showed that Kagome really didn't frolic with the idea of being doubted. So he took her word completely and if she had indeed wanted to say anything, he would be the first to know. That was just the system they always had.  
  
Because even if he was now with Kikyou...Kagome would always matter to him before anything. She was his best friend and always stuck by her word. And this was one he would stick by too.  
  
"Hello, Kagome? You home?" A raven haired head turned to the mat door of the small, neat hut as Kagome's face lit up with a bright smile. "Inuyasha, come on in. You know you don't have to knock." The male ningen entered with a solid breeze as he still had his hands tucked in his sleeves. He smirked a twitch as he watched Kagome from behind as she fixed a fire in the pit in the center of the room. "Keh, yeah right. And when you dressing that one other time I suppose it was okay then?" He shifted his weight to one hip as the respose from the smaller girl was waited upon. A small grunt was heard as Kagome peeked from over her shoulder with a light, false scolding glance. "Now come on, you now what I mean. Besides I wasn't dressing, I was just changing my wraps."  
  
At the memory-sharping reminder, casually and innocently tossed out by Kagome who went back to tending the fire, Inuyasha's expression dropped a notch as he peered at her back as if to will her to turn around and face him. "Yeah. About that...uh..." his voice and throat suddenly felt tight as Kagome still went about unaware of her comment's affect on him. Inuyasha sighed lightly and crossed the wooden floor to sit across from Kagome. He was quiet for a long moment as he just observed her prepare a pot of water for the fire. His eyes glued onto the area half between her nose and forehead but never right on her eyes. After hearing a couple of 'clanks' from wooden utensils meeting the tarnished metal, his eyes unannouncedly dropped to her wrist. The one with the neat linen wrap on it. His eyes turned with a worried emotion as his eyes quickly jumped off of it when Kagome's voice and shifting body movement broke through the silence.  
  
"So," she smiled in a light huff as she folded her legs under her and placed her hands softly over them. "What's up?" The betraying eyes shot up to meet hers from his bowed head expression. He couldn't hide the worry highlighting his pupils as he saw the shift in her own look. Kagome's eyes widenly curiously as she cocked her head to the side slightly and blinked in wonder. "--Um , Inuyasha? What's...Why are you looking like that?" His purple eyes darted away at her question as he closed them sharply, sat up straighter slowly and inhaled softly.  
  
"Kagome...how bad is it now?" He couldn't help coating his voice the the suppressed concern he had hid for the same girl in many past occassions. Only the fire pit cracked and roused noises in the softly lit hut as the duo sat still in the essence to the time-consuming whisper. *  
  
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A/N: Well friends, that is the first chapter to this story. I have, so far, planned to make it about eight chapters give or take but I would greatly appreciate if those who read this would review. Believe me, it is appreciated out there, heh. The story is slowly unfolding so hang tight.  
Thank you. ~Vyle 


	2. A Rise to Fall

Still Life  
  
By: Vyle Gohana Aris Lucina Giovanni the III...or just Vyle  
  
******* Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and owned as her rightful property. *******  
  
Chapter II: A Rise to Fall  
  
Last chapter:  
  
Kagome's eyes widenly curiously as she cocked her head to the side slightly and blinked in wonder. "--Um , Inuyasha? What's...Why are you looking like that?" His purple eyes darted away at her question as he closed them sharply, sat up straighter slowly and inhaled softly.  
  
"Kagome...how bad is it now?" He couldn't help coating his voice the the suppressed concern he had hid for the same girl in many past occassions. Only the fire pit cracked and roused noises in the softly lit hut as the duo sat still in the essence to the time-consuming whisper.  
  
*****  
  
Kagome's face was instantly tight as her eyes lingered on the backs of her own hands. Then to drift up to spot the object of his direct question. "Kagome?" the light voice sailed softly through the silent hut again as the raven haired miko's expression turned harder for a brief flash before she tossed her head up abruptly and smiled a soft smile. "It's actually feeling quite better. Thanks for asking."  
  
Inuyasha's own trust in that response begin to waver as his glare turned incredulous when Kagome immediately went back to tending her cooking. He followed her motions with concerned eyes that didn't move from the soft skin of the girl's profile. "Uh, Kagome. You said that last time and remember what happened? You broke out in a cry right after. Don't lie to me; are you really okay?" The sudden drop of a wooden ladel caught Inuyasha off guard as he darted to glance at the fallen instrument before turning back around to see Kagome rising to take the metal pot over to a smaller wooden table used to cool it. A bowl of water sat on top as she dipped the bottom of the hot container in it rhythmically.  
  
"Oh course Inuyasha. I swear, if you worried half as much as you do now for me years ago, I think I'd be beyond smothered by now." A small laugh escaped her lips as she glanced over her shoulder again to smile quickly at him. But when the girl turned back around, the noted gaze from the boy didn't deter.  
  
"...". Another clank and swish of liquid was heard as Kagome turned back on her heels to sit back down across from Inuyasha. "I'm making some tea? Do you want any?" The boy nodded loosely as she smiled and sighed softly again, her head turning to admire something unseen out of a window. "Such a hot day to be drinking hot as tea but if I could, I'd bring some ice cream back." She giggled softly again. All the meanwhile, Inuyasha was slightly slumped in his posture and was looking at Kagome's averted, soft face with some unnamed, saddening hint. 'Why do you hide everything from me now, wench? Just because....just because of the circumstances doesn't change anything.'  
  
His eyes drifted to her casual wear absentmindedly. She wore a plain but fine pink kimono with simplistic floral print down the left hand side that wrapped around her mature, full form graciously. A bright yellow sash adorned her waist and her hair was longer than it had been all those years ago. Kagome had a more mature face now. Where large, childish eyes had been now lay smoother, more assured eyes although still windows to her vivid soul, hiding no emotions she ever felt. Her face was a bit longer and smoother as the once shoulder-length hair, now grazing just the tip of her derriere, was pinned up in a plain trinket from her time. Perhaps it was with one of those 'roo-ber ban-des' she always talked about. It was amazing she kept them for so long but then again Inuyasha concurred that the girl cherished anything she could hold on to that linked her to her lost world.  
  
The long obsidian locks were pinned back neatly with the trinket and then wrapped into a tight bun by another of some other color that resembled her pink wear. A few stray strands accented her well-shaped face. As to be said, she was the past and future intricately blended with a faint aura of mystery surrounding her form. But she was Kagome.  
  
"So how's the family? How is Izuto?" her voice again sliced through his muffled mind as he shook his head quickly, ridding of the mental haze. 'I really got to stop this shit.' Kagome smiled at Inuyasha as she observed his actions and chuckled softly. "So?" "--Oh, yeah. Um, they're good. Izuto sends his love. Like always." The once-hanyou mumbled the last part out of habit as Kagome nodded and patted one of his crossed-legged knees. There was never a time when Izuto, his two-years old son, whined about wanting to see 'Auntie Kagome'. "In that case, tell him hi for me. And tell Kikyou hello too."  
  
Inuyasha nodded as he habitually looked at Kagome's expression swiftly as if trying to uncover any hurt from her very own words. But none came as the girl stood up to retrieve the cooled tea. "I think it has had enough time to cool. Would you mind getting the cups for me please, Inuyasha?" "Yeah, sure" he replied softly while he pushed himself up to walk over to a larger table with six clay-colored teacups neatly placed upside-down on a simple brown mat. He grabbed two as he walked back across the soft wood floor to her. "Kagome, I wanted to as--" An abrupt, loud bang of the hot water pot rang out aloud as a quick yell broke through the hut. Inuyasha's eyes widened sharply as he quickly but carelessly tossed the teacups on the large table again and shot across the room in a rushing flow of heigtened worry toward the young miko. "Dammit, Kagome! What the fuck-- are you okay?!" He immediately grabbed her and swallowed her pained form in his large robes as he pulled her away from the accident. His heel bucked the pot as it rolled away.  
  
Kagome's whimpers were potent and steady as her uneven, pained breath flared sharpened into the black-haired boy's shoulder. When the pair was pulled safely away from the spilled warm water and the fallen instruments by the boy, Inuyasha pulled Kagome down into his lap as he hugged her form. "Dammit. How many years will you continue to be so damn clusmy?" His smile warmed a bit as her whimpers were smothered to sniffles which were soon leveled. "I..ughn! I'm sorry. Now I messed up our tea." Inuyasha's eyes turned incredulously to the top of the black head tucked under his chin as he pat Kagome's back and she shifted to nestle in his lap a tiny bit more.  
  
"You just damn near scorched your whole left hand and all you can think about is that fucking pot of tea?!" his voiced held a sliver of bafflement to the girl's actions. Was she that concerned about knocking over that pot of water? All he recieved as a response was a faint sniffle as he glared at her face from an angle to try to catch her eyes. "Let me see it. How back is it?" When his hand went to recieve Kagome's, she shrunk more at the light pressure of his fingers accidently on her wrist. "Ouch!" Inuyasha's face grimaced some as he pulled her whole body back from his chest some. "Come on Kagome. It can't be that damn bad." Again he smirked faintly. "Stop being such a big bab--" "It wasn't the water, Inuyasha. It's the bruise."  
  
The second those barely audible words left the miko's mouth, the 'hanyou' froze as his body went ridged with fright. "What?" his voice was now lower and expecting. Kagome turned her head up and pulled herself lightly further out of his lap with her opposite hand as she held the wrapped one close to her bosom. Her face fell as she looked directly down upon it. "It's...It's okay. I just got to go tend to it. Maybe the strain of the pot finally got to it. I'll be okay. Just let me get something. I'll be right back." As she went to settle into a kneel to push herself up, a larger, tan hand latched out and caught her uninjured wrist tightly without him being aware of it. "No, Kagome. I'll get it. Just...just stay here." Her eyes shot up to meet his gaze as she stared openly at his answer. Within a while of reflecting each other's gaze, the girl smiled a wry smile and nodded slightly. "Thank you, Inuyasha."  
  
With a hidden, pained sighed, he rose up and went down the short hall of Kagome's hut. "It's by the futon, right?" She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just on the short table next to my side of the bed." Nodding briefly, Inuyasha took one more unnoticed glance as Kagome back as he left to bring back her herbal treatment and more clean wraps.  
  
Upon entering the room, he stopped in his wake as his eyes met with the unfamiliar scene. It was Kagome's room; he could smell her scent clearly, even his demon sense of smell wasn't needed for that but the room was more different. Almost...stranger-different. Taking slow, focused steps, the red-clad figure expertly took in the new visions before him. 'This is...her room?' Inuyasha inspected each wall, arch and angle quietly as the efforts for Kagome's aid were momentarily forgotten. The light from the sun lighting through the window shade bathed the area in a subtle glow as he took in the changes. Where a bamboo wall mural of a white crane had once been on the wall opposite the bed now hung a sword case and a red- leather hilted sword, still submerged neatly in its scabbard.  
  
On the smooth, soft wood floor, beside the futon against the wall, where there once lay a stout dressing cabinet with figurines in top now had moved to the other side opposite of where it had been on Kagome's side. The bed was turnedto where the head board was now toward the window and the covers were now a subtle dark green instead of pale blue. Inuyasha dismissed himself of the overview and went briskly to get the items Kagome called for. As his hands went to pick them up, his eyes caught sight of the bed. It looked as if it hadn't been touched, much less breathed on in ages. The covers were evenly spreaded across the mattress and the pillows were identically reflecting each other's position along the top. The bottom shift of the futon had a simple vanilla covered cloth draped across it.  
  
Inuyasha groaned in light annoyance as he turned to exit the room with the required items in hand. 'One of these day... She's got to change that cursed room to something less 'familiar'.' As he made his way back down the dark, small hallway, Inuyasha exhaled deeply at the instant reminder of the reason why he was retrieving the medical aid. "...I'm still here." He froze. How was...was that Kagome talking? To herself? "What the?" the boy walked some more but slowed as the miko's emotionally-apparent voice sailed to his ears much clearer. It appeared Kagome was indeed talking to herself. But whom about?  
  
He converted his steps to soft, patter tiptoes as he edged to the side of the ending hallway wall and turned to listen intently at the conversation the girl was having. It may have been eavesdropping but hell, she wasn't even talking to anyone in particular. As far as he knew, Kagome could have just been reciting something she heard or had seen earilier. And that is what he intended to find out. He had known the girl for too long to recognize any change in her character if he asked her about what she was talking of would and she would openly respond. Not since five summers ago had she ever done that. It seemed nowadays he always had to sneak up on her just to get a chip of whatever she spoke about. As aggravating and hintedly hurtful it was, he respected her but still pried...in his own way.  
  
"...I'm not doing anything today in particular, Mama. I'm sorry yesterday I didn't speak to you or Grandpa or Souta but I've been really busy lately as the villager's miko. I pray for you all though. I want you to know that." Kagome took a uncertain glance over her shoulder but when she didn't see Inuyasha she smiled as she clasped her wounded wrist lightly and bowed her head again. Inuyasha could hear the faint crack in her voice and swore to the smell of her tears.  
  
"Oh Kouga. I know you've told me to be strong and I am but..." He could practically feel the swallow she hesitantly made as she paused. The black haired male figure's back slid unbeknownst to himself down the dark hallway wall as his eyes clouded over and focused on nothing at all. His face was laced in a gently pained expression as his hands began to pulse and tighten around the items. She had mentioned...that wimpy wolf. She was thinking of that wimpy sleaze. Many may have thought that upon first glance that Inuyasha was just plain odd to have a grudge against the absent worlf demon but there was more. Oh so much more.  
  
"...*Sigh*...but I don't know how long I'll hold out." Her voice the whole time through was soft and wispy as her tone lay heavy with emotional drainage. "But I'll keep waiting until you can come back. I know you'll be wanting to here that." She glanced down at her wound once again, shutting her eyelids tighter as a sad frown grazed his lips. "I don't want you to hate me for deciding to do what I did one year ago but I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. You still have to leave everytime and I feel like we can't...do anything because you're in that stupid youkai war and I'm a miko. Heh, man I'm such a baby. Inuyasha always says I am and sometimes it makes sense. I'm supposed to be strong and I'm your wife so it's my job. I just wish though...."  
  
The footsteps abruptly opening up behind the mentally-involved girl made her shake her up some as she quickly regain posture and turned to see Inuyasha walk up to her. Was he okay? Why was his face almost stony? And...why was he clenching her linen wraps so harshly. "Inuyasha?" the girl turned around to stand and meet up with him half across the room. "You okay?" His face was so betraying but he nodded as he swiftly pressed the items into Kagome's chest firmly but gently and pointed to one of the sitting mats as she grabbed them almost clumsily. "Mmm hmm. Come sit down and I'll help you get clean.  
  
The both of them walked over to sit down on two of the mats under the eating table as Kagome began to pluck and unravel her old wraps. Inuyasha mechanically worked to prepare her herbal treatment as he didn't make contact with her eyes. Kagome noticed this too, her own confused gaze marking his serious and solid one. "Um...Inuyasha, if you don't want to do this you don't have to. I don't mean to hold you here as a prisoner." she joked lightly, trying to lighten up the sudden taking-a-turn for the worse thick air. "No, no. I want to do this. Stop thinking I don't want to all the time, Kagome." The girl went to respond but immediately pursed her lips and nodded as she tucked her old wrapped into a knotted ball and placed it on the edge of the table.  
  
Inuyasha face grimaced internally as he saw the whole basis of his dear friend's pain for the last year. It was a large bluish bruise-like marking that masked from her wrist to the half point near her elbow. It was dark and sharply contrasted with her flawless skin surrounding it. His affected purple orbs stared up to see if Kagome was seeing this but found her head turned to look back out that same window as she had done earlier. He just couldn't stop the next words from coming out his mouth as he applied the antibacterial tincture to her arm. "Does it hurt?" his voice was tight and hoarse. Kagome's voice soon followed but Inuyasha didn't turn to look up at her. "No, not now atleast. It just gets painful when I touch it at times, hit it or if I rub it too hard." He absorbed the calmness amd sureness in her voice as he cleansed her wound with the room temperature tincture and then set out to dry it briskly before opening up a small container of light green cream. The two were silent as the sun outside was slowly setting against the insipid horizon.  
  
It was almost on the edge of ironic as to how long ago she would be the one to tend to him as to where now it was inverted. Like it was said, it would have been almost ironic had not it been for the hatred behind the reason of this fastidious wound. When Inuyasha was finishing on wrapping up the wound, Kagome was humming nothings until his voice opened up. "Your room's different. Why?" She turned her head to make contact with the bent arch of his own. "Huh?" "I said your room. Why is it different?" Kagome thought on it a bit as she felt the small tugs and squeezes from the wraps on her arm. "Oh, well, I guess I wanted to change it." "But the way you changed it...." Kagome stared at his focused face innocently as she relaxed under his ministrations. "What about it?" "It makes the room protrude him so vividly." She pulled in a whispery intake of air as her vision jumped to glue on something other than him.  
  
Her voice softened some as her gaze turned emotion-felt. "It's not really anything more than that. I just...I just wanted it like that I guess." How could she tell the guy who once held her heart...and still did in ways...that she had just about remodeled her sleeping quarters to say that she thought of Kouga alot since he left. She knew that even though both Inuyasha and her had finally lined the limits of their lives, there would always be those childish throes of her affections for him and his jealously of the wolf. And as weird as it may have seemed, Kagome had begun to think alot about him since he left one year ago to go off in the youkai war that was waged just on the outskirts of the county.  
  
Inuyasha, had he still been a hanyou, maybe would have went but the measures had shown that many youkai had been pulled and volunterringly left to go fight off the spawns who still lingered after the death of Narku; the ones that were free of servitude but because the Inuyasha-tachi had failed to considered the possiblity, they were out there trying to recreate the image Naraku had wanted for himself. Sango and Miroku had decided that if the war spilled into the county, that would fight in it with whoever else. Kagome herself had agreed she would lend her miko powers and knew Inuyasha would have went too. Had he not had a young son and wife at home. Ever since Kagome had officially started having feelings for the wolf-demon, he was always whimsical and elusive (just like when the group was traveling) and while she stayed in the village as the miko, he still lived in the mountains with his clan but often visited her. At first Inuyasha had clearly shown his dislike of this but Kagome had told him of how he couldn't be selfish of everyone else and always expect her and Kikyou to be bouncing him back and forth. Besides, she may have made the wish but he made the choice.  
  
The soft mumbled of complete from Inuyasha made Kagome look back down at her new, finely wrapped arm as she grabbed it gently and smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Inuyasha." He grumbled under his breath and crossed his arms again. Kagome stayed quiet in the thought that he might have wanted to say something else but when he just breathed evenly, she went to clean up the mess.  
  
"Tell me how you got that mark. What is it and why did you hide it from me for nearly six months."A gruff,hard voice filtered out. Kagome froze. "Inuyasha?" She looked back over at him but he was still poised sternly. His arms wers crossed, eyes shut close in a faint scowl and feet tucked under the othe leg. "I want to finally know Kagome. What is happening to you?"*  
  
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R/R  
  
~Vyle 


	3. The Driest Sorrows

Still Life  
  
By: Vyle Gohana Aris Lucina Giovanni the III...or just Vyle  
  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and owned as her rightful property.   
  
Chapter III: The Driest Sorrows  
  
Last chapter:  
  
"Tell me how you got that mark. What is it and why did you hide it from me for nearly six months."A gruff,hard voice filtered out. Kagome froze. "Inuyasha?" She looked back over at him but he was still poised sternly. His arms were crossed, eyes shut close in a faint scowl and each foot tucked under the opposite leg. "I want to finally know Kagome. What is happening to you?"  
  
The intensity of the mode couldn't have fermented more if the facing pair willed it to.  
  
Kagome watched as Inuyasha did not stir but could tell that he waited for her response to his rather blunt, straight-to-the-point inquiry. She bowed her once in clarification before clearing her throat brittlely.  
  
"Well," she spoke soundly, "I...This is my doing first of all--just in the case, you know. Because what I'm gonna say might make you get all assuming." She declared this more firmer at Inuyasha because she knew him too well. What she was about to confirm would more or less knock him of his rocker and he'd start getting all steam-headed about it. Believe her, she knew.  
  
"I'm listening." Geez, what a surrogate father figure he sounded like and possibly could pull off. Then again, he was a father ...just at the wrong person. "Sigh.....I-- "--Kagome, come on. Of all time, why so short of breath and mouth now?" The humor in that comment went unnoticed by the smaller girl as she bowed her head to suddenly take interest in her own fidgetting fingers.  
  
"...You see Inuyasha, this is something I got from Kouga. It's just a bruise now but it'll get better." As soon as those soft words rang out, Inuyasha's face contorted sharply in disgust, disbelief and anger. "What the fuck?! You're telling me that bloody bastard put that weird shit on you?! What the fuck, Kagome!" "You're not listening." her low voiced interjected in cadence and oddity to his louder, harsher one. "What's there to listen to? THAT wimpy shit did something to you, don't you see?!"  
  
The raven haired girl nodded quickly as her eyes saddened some more. "Inuyasha, calm down please. You're blowing things out of proportion just like always! Remember me saying at the very beginning of this conversation that this was my doing?!" By now Kagome's face was raised and almost held a desperate pleading shine to it. Gasping sharply, Inuyasha caught this and immediately shutted up. His lips tightened into a thin line. "Go on."  
  
A little shaken up by the confession she was about to fully spill after so many months, Kagome discarded the swell of nervousness and fear briskly and pushed her thoughts in direct concentration to the matter at hand. "This," she thumbed her infected wrist, "this is the same thing he has. About one year ago, when he last was back of course, I...I discovered Kouga had something." Her voice was uncertain about telling all of this while at the same time wobbily and shifty. As for her counterpart, Kagome could only GUESS how he was taking this in for she did not dare to meet his gaze.  
  
" Sigh...Oh, Kouga had something small and the same color as this on his neck. I...I couldn't get what it was and he told me it was nothing at all." She slightly smiled. "I...I wanted so much to try and find out what the heck it was but..oh, he just persisted me to not worry about it. And so, at his only request...I did." The hut was flooded in a giant hiatus as Kagome's eyes slipped shut. "Kagome..." Inuyasha's voice was tight as he noted the tight squeeze of her eyelids. "Kagome?" his expression turned heartfelt with traces of underlying, nestled hate toward the absent wolf demon. He drew her into his arms without much as a thought after his hand lingered longing into the air at her form. He wanted to comfort her. That's all that mattered. Kagome's comfort.  
  
A light crack in the tiny voice made the black hair boy's own eyes close shut as he hugged her more soothingly, trying to settle the emotions he felt the frame of the girl reverberating around.  
  
"Don't get angry at him," she forced in as if attempting to quell the thought rendering in his mind. "I had decided to go on with this." Inuyasha's face twitched painfully once as she felt hot tears on his right clavicle. "What did you do? I don't undertand? How did you..." Kagome sniffled once. "When Kouga was about to leave again after only ten days...I was so sad. Inuyasha, I didn't want him to leave. I wanted him to be that old stupid, forceful, woman-declaring, cheerfully confident idiot we met five years ago." She laughed a bit at her own remark. "But..he wasn't. Even worse sniffle...even worse...he was so much sadder." Her voice broke at the declaration as she knotted her fists into Inuyasha's haori. He instantly embraced her firmer as she poured his heart out in a hard, quick cry.  
  
"Kouga was sad? What happened?" Inuyasha may have abhorred the old rvial youkai (and still did) but with all false concerns within, he focused only on Kagome's relief from what appeared to be something she was holding in for the longest. "What happened Kagome?" She snook her head. "It...It was the last day that I discovered....that discolored patch of skin on his neck was from a disease. Kouga was infected with a disease."  
  
An eternity would have been a major understatement to the time it felt Inuyasha felt himself sitting there, stiff and agape with impossibly wide eyes. His body and blood drained ice cold as a dizzying rush swarmed over his heated outer flesh. Processing Kagome's words and connecting one plus one only drew more inner fears and incredulousness to the whole matter faster than the poor guy could see. If Kouga had a disease.....and Kagome had the same mark...what...if...  
  
"What the FUCK!" he pulled her swiftly and almost hard out of the hug as Kagome's eyes shot wide open to the sudden action. "Kagome! No, please...no..." his tone dropped low and in disbelief as he tried to make sense of this. If one and one was two and the sky was blue then....she purposely got infected with the same thing?! "Why, dammit?!" Inuyasha's outcry was loud and unbridled as he lightly shook her. "Why Kagome? What the hell were you thinking!" The girl's face slowly turned from surprsie to miserable sadness at the spurted relevation as she clamped her eyes and hunched a bit. "Because Inuyasha!" she cried out the words without exact intent to finish as she broke out with a faint gleam of more tears. Inuyasha grew twisted. He was confused at the situation, angry at Kouga and Kagome both and frustrated with the feeling of helplessness the whole confrontation brought about. It was all unraveling too fast.  
  
"Why?!" "--Because I missed him so much! He..He wasn't the same as before! I could tell! Kouga had become so much more gentle and-and serious but only because he knew if he told me about anything of the bruise, I would react this way. He wasn't the same Inuyasha!" The male figure's expression turned with disgust and pain. It just wasn't right. It just wasn't fucking right!  
  
Kami only knew how much a sense of humor he could have had to place the same hurt onto the caring girl's shoulders. Back in the past, it was himself, Inuyasha, whom would be breaking Kagome's heart and hurting her feelings with his indecisiveness and constant pining after Kikyou. But now...now it was Kouga. Sickening and infuriating as it was enough to see one day the pure-spirited girl of the future slowly start going toward the dense but confident wolf...but when Kagome and he married....it was downright a fucking soul pain. Okay, so what if he was being selfish! Screw it! So what if Inuyasha, the guy who risked his neck every damn day long ago to keep the group and himself alive felt furious as hell when Kagome stated (in her own way) that she had official feelings for that..that SHIT!  
  
It had taken a long time but about two years after Naraku's death, Kagome had finally decided to actually consider looking at that bastard as even a potential suitor. And as shit would have it...while being ironic and teeth-grinding at the same time...she actually GREW feelings for that bastard back! If he was being selfish--oh well! Inuyasha perfectly believed that his still lingering want of having Kagome in ways for himself were legit and perfectly fine to have. It was when the future girl smiled those once warm smiles for only him at that wolf wimp that the overflow of bubbling, scorching hot jealously took over.  
  
Don't get him wrong. Inuyasha loved Kikyou very much but...but....he also still loved Kagome. Only if he hadn't been so cruel to her feelings long ago not only would she not have been in unneeded hurt OR waiting like always for that damn wolf but also...she wouldn't have made such a fucking, stupid, insensitive decision on her part out of her sadness.  
  
If there were problems to state of anyone: Miroku was too damn perverted, Sango was too stubborn with her own feelings for the lech, he was selfish and stubborn (and rude...) and Kagome...  
  
Kagome's only flaw was that she was just too damn loyal. Inuyasha betted the girl went through this all because she...loved that low shit excuse of a husband. Always running off to leave her in sorrow.  
  
But then again...hadn't he done that too?  
  
Inuyasha couldn't take it. It was just too much for one man to take.  
  
"Oh Kagome...you stupid, stupid, stupid...." Kagome cut him off with a bitter, dry laugh as she buried her face deeper into Inuyasha's shoulder. The pair was silent as the hum of the lazy afternoon sailed in the air. "Sniff Well, enough about me. Sniffle, how's life been treating you?" Inuyasha's face pulled back in overflown disbelief at how Kagome tried to lighten up this so-serious situation with one of her common conversation openers. "What is your deal, Kagome? Damn, you just keep trying to be happy all the damn time. For once, stop trying to make everyone else worry-free! You have a disease dammit!" Kagome slowly looked up at him with wide, blank eyes as she smiled softly at his blunt words. "I don't want to make everyone sad over me. Besides, you all have your own problems. Like with you, before you know it, Izuto will be flocked with little young ladies." She giggled softly when Inuyasha's face faintly tinted pink. "Yeah, well..." he mumbled as Kagome manuveured herself out of their friendly hug and smoothed the wrinkle out from her pink kimono. Inuyasha folded his arms as his eyes followed her hands, quiet as his eyes jumped to her face when they stilled.  
  
"Well, don't mind me asking, but are you guys planning on having another little one?" Kagome asked with a soft smile at the quiet Inuyasha. He immediately sputtered and drew a light scowl as he looked away briefly, that familiar warmth in his cheeks flaring up again.  
  
Kagome smothered a laugh with her hand as she patted his knee. "Calm down, hee,hee, I'm just joking. Besides, you and Kikyou both have a lot of thing to do besides raise a houseful of kids." She chuckled again as she made to go and clean up the forgotten spilled tea but Inuyasha's voice, sounding somewhat...hollow?, broke through.  
  
"...Did you want children, Kagome?"  
  
Kagome froze in her tracks and turned to eye him. "Huh? What did you say?" she asked sweetly.  
"I said...I asked if you wanted kids."  
  
Kagome looked to the floor with a furrowed expression as she thought on his words. Before making to answer, she took her seat again.  
  
"Uh...well..yeah, yeah I guess I do. I mean...I always dreamed of having some of my own.''  
  
Inuyasha didn't know how to end or further this conversation, so he just said quiet, hoping Kagome would choice. And so, she continued after a small moment.  
  
"I just want one. One, perfect child. Someone to keep me company and someone to love."  
  
Inuyasha swallowed thickly as his face focused solely on the smaller woman. He...Would Kagome ever get that chance? Suddenly his mind went creative with her words. Slowly but surely and without his consent, his mind starting creating this unborn child in his head. It had soft, wavy black hair that was jet-black like Kagome's and crawled in glossy waves about its head to its middle back. Its skin was a perfect very light tan but soft and smooth. It's tiny fingers had smooth, claws and two little wavy haired ears pointed downward on the top of its head....her head. The imaginary child had...his nose....and eye color. A soft, minty blue but soulful from Kagome's. A small toothy grin with....his mouth but Kagome's bright, clean face.  
  
"Someone to love, huh?'' he responded, disturbed mentally by the image. He hated to think that Kagome and that thing would have such a beautiful little girl.  
"Yep, preferably a little girl. But a boy would be just as lovely.  
  
At an instant, Inuyasha's mind went to work again, but this time toward creating a male. It had course, unruly black hair--neither Kagome's shade or texture but the glossiness of it. This child was about seven or eight, just like the girl, but had light brown eyes that were...his shape albeit alive and focused as Kagome's. His skin was...his shade but his mouth and nose were Kagome's. His claws were sharp and smooth, well-groomed hair that draped down his back and into a braid and his ears perched perky on top of his head.  
  
"I always did like the name Noriko." Kagome broke in, looking out her hut window but apparently daydreaming.  
"Yeah, little Nori. I really think she'd like that."  
  
At his words, Kagome's perfect poised face turned to him and broke out a gentle, warm smile--the only one for the last Kami knows when in which....Kagome was actually smiling. Just like the old her. The smile was open, hiding absolutely nothing and no pain shown through them. She was actually...happy.  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened a fraction as he caught sight of this nearly forgotten treasure and abruptly, that little girl--Little Nori--became his and Kagome's--not Kouga's and hers.  
  
Shaking his head abruptly, Inuyasha banished and locked away thouse forbidden thoughts--thoughts that involved changing the ways things were. No, he couldn't do that. He didn't want to. ...Did he?  
  
Kagome's smooth breathing filtered and brought him back to reality as she stood up and finished cleaning up the mess. "Maybe...maybe someday, ya know?" he soft response sailed to his human ears as Inuyasha focused back on her. "...Yeah." Kagome nodded and dropped the topic, walking back to the door of her hut as she peered out. Leaning up against the sid of the frame, she lightly kicked her foot as her hands clasped behind her back. "Inuyasha,"  
  
The male figure answered back almost readily. "Yeah, K'gome?"  
  
"Promise me...if anything happens, whether to me or Kouga both, that you'll be happy we are free from this pain. But don't hate him, please, if you care any of me, don't hate Kouga. I chose this too." She didn't motion to it but Inuyasha saw at those words her infected wrist moved a bit. "Please?" her childish voice caught his attwention again as he stared affected in all angles back into her pure, warm depths.  
  
'Stop it, damn you. Why are you so persistant on making me aware of what will inevitably happen, Kagome? Do you secretly want to die? Don't you want to be here with m--us?' "....I....I can't promise that, you know that." Kagome just smiled softly at him as Inuyasha looked dejectly at the floor and gnashed his knuckles on it in distress. "I....It's not right." He whispered in a pain voice before he jumped up unexpectedly and stomped with an all out emotional fury. "IT'S NOT FUCKING FAIR!!"  
  
Kagome winced as she closed her eyes in sorrow. She had tried to avoid bring that up again but funny how it was that people doomed to die always reminded those around them the most of it just by opening up their mouths....just by trying to be normal. 'Oh Inuyasha...'  
  
She couldn't see it but felt the frustration and rage rolling off his body in crashing tsunamis as she bit her bottom lip. Tears touched the rim of her eyelids as she tried to smother another reign of sorrow. Rage and anguish--together they birthed the driest sorrow.  
  
"I'm sorry." she mouthed in a broken, beady whisper. Kagome's throat was tight with a lump of dread as she shook her head slowly and bit down harder on her lip. Then he spoke again after moments of seething and boiling hurt, anger, rage, frustration, helplessness, distress and whatever other shit he couldn't describe.  
  
"Wht a fucking' unfair ass bullshit turn of events!! How could you, Kagome?!?" She winced but didn't look up at him. "I...I'm sorry! But it all was just so much, okay?! After losing you, I was going to lose him too." She shot out from the door way back into the hut to look at him in despair. "What would you have done, huh?!" She didn't bother wiping the tears from her face as they blurred her vision. Inuyasha stood talll and stern with a hard face as he watched her crumbling emotionally from within in front of him. "I lost everyone. My home, Sango and Miroku are gone too travelling all across Japan it seems, you and Kikyou have each other now and now I find out my husband is dying in two ways and you expect me to be fine?! Well, I'm not! I'm...I'm..." Kagome suddenly froze for two seconds as her eyes widened sharply and her breath hitched before they lowered and she collapsed on the hut floor but instead fell into a pair of warm, firm arms.  
  
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha was listening with struggling emotions as the woman he secretly desired spilled out her heart and soul that is until...until she stiffened up and collapsed into a boneless heap plunging to the ground. Without the need to think on it, Inuyasha shot forward and gathered her up tightly in a hug as he plopped to the ground. He held on tightly before stroking her face and looking at her in shock.  
  
"Kagome?! Kagome, wake up! Please, be okay, dammit, don't you die, bitch! Don't even consider it,wench!" When no answer or motion reaasured the frenzied man, Inuyasha pressed two fingers to the piece of skin under her nose. A very faint, weak puff and intake was his only reaasurace that Kagome still alive.  
  
"....Wheeze...Inuyasha..." He pulled her closer frantically as his uneasy movement cause his uncertain mind to press the girl into the confines of his lap. "What, what--what is it, Kagome? But hurry, you need a doctor!" his breath was erratic and his eyes were wide with fear for her. Kagome's weak eyes trailed up to the top of his head to the bottom of his chin before she smiled so weakly and lolled her head onto his chest.  
  
"....Wheeze I..I just want to say that I had my chance, my time. What's lost to fate is meant to be, please remember that. You cannot change what you must go through but also I just...wheeze..I just want you to know that we had our time together....and I....I wouldn't change it for the worl......."  
  
The girl in his lap jerked and faded into unconsciousness again as Inuyasha sprang up after listening intently in helplessness and frustration toward the door and out into the village toward the nearest doctor.  
  
"You stupid wench! Hold on, damn you! Don't you dare die on me!"  
  
A/N: It's sad, I know. But like all things, the show must go on. Kagome and Inuyasha are both experiencing things that they must accept and as the story will go on, the two will finally come to an understanding. It's the story of the final act of love between Inuyasha and Kagome. This is a Inu/Kag story by the way.  
  
Til' next time, my friends. ;)  
  
R/R  
  
Vyle 


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